The development of british constitutional monarchy

1. The Development of
British Constitutional Monarchy:
Civil War, the Restoration,
and the Glorious Revolution,
1603-1714

2. 1603:
Elizabeth I dies
Succeeded
by:
James I

3. The Stuart Dynasty
The Stuarts had ruled Scotland
since 1371.
When Elizabeth died childless in
1603, James Stuart, her cousin,
succeeded her as the first king of
both England and Scotland.

4. James was a strong
believer in the divine
right of kings.
He replaced the feudal
power of the nobility
with a strong central
government.
His views brought him
into conflict with
Parliament.

5. James I’s speech to the
House of Commons:
“I am surprised that my
ancestors should ever be
permitted such an
institution to come into
existence. I am a
stranger, and found it
here when I arrived, so
that I am obliged to put
up with what I cannot
get rid of!”

6. James was a Protestant. His severe treatment of Roman
Catholics led to the notorious Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
A group of prominent
Roman Catholics
conspired to kill James
and destroy
Parliament, eliminating
the entire English
government.

8. 1625:
James I dies
Succeeded
by:
Charles I

9. Like James I,
Charles I’s belief in
the divine right of
kings also brought
him into
continuous
conflict with
Parliament.

10. The Petition ofRights, 1628
• In return for money to fund hiswars, Charles I agreed: no imprisonment
without due cause, no taxationwithout Parliament’s consent, no quartering
of soldiers in private homes, no martial law during peacetime.
• Ignored it, dissolved Parliament.

11. In 1629, Charles dismissed Parliament and
had key leaders arrested. He governed solo
for the next 11 years.

12. Finally, in 1640, financially exhausted, the
king recalled Parliament to raise funds to
fight a rebellion in Scotland.

13. Meanwhile, a second
rebellion broke out in
Ireland.
Charles I asked Parliament
to raise an army, under his
control, to put down the
Irish revolt.

14. Parliament refused the
request and instead
presented the king with a
list of demands for reform.

15. Charles tried unsuccessfully to arrest the
parliamentary leaders who opposed him.

16. The English Civil War
The king was forced to flee London. Both sides raised
armies and civil war broke out in 1642. Supporters of
Parliament were called Roundheads, and those of the king,
Cavaliers.

17. Eventually, Charles I was captured by Parliamentary forces
and placed on trial. On January 2, 1649 he was beheaded as
a tyrant, murderer, and enemy of the nation.

18. During the English Civil
War, Oliver Cromwell
was a Puritan who rose
to power because of
his natural military
genius and forceful
personality.
He became the leader
of the Parliamentary
New Model Army.

19. After Charles’ execution,
Parliament established the
Commonwealth, or
republic, headed by
Cromwell.
His government enjoyed
little support, even from
those who had fought
against the king.

20. 1649:
Charles I
beheaded!
Succeeded by:
Oliver
Cromwell

21. Cromwell’s efforts to
establish stability after
15 years of civil war
came to nothing.
His successes were
mostly military.
Cromwell reconquered
Ireland and Scotland,
made England a feared
military power in
Europe, and expanded
its overseas empire.

22. The Restoration
After Cromwell’s death,
England had not yet
recovered from the civil
war and was in a poor
state.
In 1660, Parliament
requested Charles II, son
of Charles I, to retake the
English throne and
restore the monarchy.

23. 1658:
Cromwell dies
Succeeded
by:
Charles II

24. Charles II
King of England, Scotland, and
Ireland (1660-1685)
Charles II’s reign marked a
period of relative stability
after the upheaval of the
English Civil War though
London suffered two
catastrophic events.

25. Great LondonPlague, 1665

26. Great LondonFire, 1666

27. 1685:
Charles II dies
Succeeded
by:
James II

28. James II
King of England,
Scotland, and Ireland
(1685-1688)

29. James was a Roman Catholic.
In 1688, the birth of a son
seemed to ensure a Roman
Catholic succession.

30. To ensure a Protestant
kingdom, James' opponents
asked William of Orange,
James’ son-in-law and the
Protestant leader of the
Netherlands, to steal the
English throne from James.

31. William landed in England in November 1688 and marched on
London. James’ army abandoned him and the king fled the
country. The Glorious Revolution was completely bloodless.

32. 1688:
James II
overthrown
Succeeded by:
William and Mary

33. Parliament crowned
William and Mary,
James’ Protestant
daughter, on the
condition that they
agreed to the English
Bill of Rights.

34. This document helped make
Parliament more powerful than the crown.

35. After the death of Mary
in 1694, William ruled
alone.
As a foreign, invited
king, William was largely
powerless.

36. It was not William but Parliament that brought about the
reforms during his reign: the passing of the Bill of Rights, the
establishment of the Bank of England, the introduction of
ministerial responsibility in government, and the
encouragement of a free press.

37. The most important British governmental leader was no
longer the king but the Prime Minister. The supremacy of
Parliament over the king continued.

38. Seesaw of King and
Parliament:
1603-1689

39. Anne,
r. 1702-1714
• Last Stuart monarch
• Throne passed to George I of
Hanoverian Dynasty in 1714

40. Acts of Union, 1707
• England and Scotland
formed United Kingdom of
Great Britain